Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1918 — THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER [ARTICLE]

THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Agent Stewart Learning.

“Sheep Show Profit’’ “We expect our sheep that we I bought last fall to pay for themselves this season,’’' said Oscar Weiss of Jqrdan township at a meeting of the South Marion Farmers’ club last week. Mr. Weiss recommends the purchase of western ewes as being cheaper and hardier than most of the natives offered for sale at the present time. He also urged that farmers begin in the business in a small way rather than to establish extensive flocks at once. Not requiring a great outlay for buildings and equipment and giving almost immediate returns of the investment, the sheep industry should appeal to the young farmer at the present time. “Nearly every farm can support a few sheep without noticing the cost and if the matter were given the attention it deserves thousands of dollars would be added annually to the income of our farmers.” Shallow Planting for Corn “Tell the farmers to plant their corn as shallow’ as they can this year,” said a prominent citizen the other day. "The seed is none too strong and dee-p planting will cause many poor stands, because the seed cannot furnish enough vitality to push the sprouts through the soil.” Experience as well as experimental data show that corn planted as shallow as possible and still be covered gives the best stands in ordinary years. In very dry seasons and with poorly prepared seed beds deeper planting must be used. Shorthorn Club Progressing W.“ B. Krueck, assistant state leader of boys' and girls’ club work spent • two days last week in the county visiting members of the Shorthorn club. As a whole, he was wen pleased with the progress made by the members, but he found a few boys w’ho were not taking proper care of their heifers. “In order to sell well, these heifers must go into the ring in the best possible condition. They should be fed enough cracked corn, ground oats, oil meal and hay to keep them gaining all the time. They should be kept in a darkened stable during the day’ and pastured at night after the flies came. I do not believe that many people realize the importance of plenty of flesh in pure-bred cattle offered for sale, and I am positive that the boy who i brings his heifer into the auction 'next fall in a poor condition will I receive less than cost price, but the well fitted animals will show a good profit.’’ Mr. Krueck will return to the county later in the season to show ' the club members how to fit their i heifers for the sale.

An Early Garden ,yy \ Lake of Walker township has been using lettuce* and radishes from his own garden for a month. Last fall he made a good hot bed and some time ago he planted his early garden in it. This came along fine and has been furnishing plenty of green vegetables for his family. “It is a little trouble to have garden so early in the season, said Mr. Lake, “but it is certainly worth it.’’ Judging from the results he obtained it would be worth while for every family to adopt his method of attacking old H. C. of L. Pasture Lowers Cost of" Pork Production Hogs on good pasture eat 15 to 30 per cent less grain for the same gain in live weight than do those in drv lots. In five feeding tests in dry lot at the Missouri Experiment Station hogs ate 5.11 pounds of concentrates for each pound of gain, while the average amount of concentrates required per pound of gain in fifteen feeding trials with hogs of various kinds of pasture was only 3.5 4 pounds. This means that there was a saving of 1.57 pounds of grain for each pound of gain made by the hogs on forage as compared with those in dry lot, a saving of 30.7 per cent. Farmers who have red rioter or alfalfa for hog pasture are about as well fixed for hog pasture a-s thev can be, the. county agent declares. Either of these crops will provide pasture from the first to the middle of'May on throughout the season, with the possible exception of Ju.lv and August, if the summer proves' to be unusually dry. If red clover or alfalfa are not available’, plant some annual pasture cron like rape and oats or. soybeans.. Those farprers who use nutritious forage ctops to the fullest extent possible, with sufficient grain to keep their pigs and shotes gaining one-half to three-fourths of a pound daily, will be the ones who will make the greatest profit out of feeding hogs this summer. With pasture they will reduce the cost of pork produced 20 to 30 per cent, in comparison to what it would be in dry lot without pasture, --e-— -■ - Several farmers are going to keep figures this summer to show just what results may be obtained here in this county.